When a metal part requires that only a portion of its surface undergo several processing steps such as blasting with abrasive media for surface preparation by etching or cleaning followed by applying a coating and a sealant for the coating, two procedures have customarily been followed. In the first procedure, the entire part was blasted and then had to be handled to put a mask in place for subsequent processing. During the process of applying the mask, the clean part was subjected to contamination and possible scratching. In the second procedure, if conventional pins were used to hold the part during the blasting process, the mask could be put in place and held in position by the pins. While this appeared to solve the problems associated with handling the cleaned part instead, it created more serious problems. During the blasting process, blasting media and debris often collected under the mask and particularly in the apertures between the supporting pins and the mask. The part would be sent through the remaining procedural steps only to find out at the end that the mask could not be removed without seriously damaging either the mask or the part. During the process, abrasive media and debris accumulated in the space between the pin and the mask and firmly fixed the two together. Also, the abrasive media and debris which collected between the mask and workpiece presented a potential contamination problem in subsequent processing steps.